


Sad story of a gravedigger

by Cherrydragon26



Series: Zombieland Saga- Alternate Universes and Stories [5]
Category: Zombieland Saga (Anime)
Genre: A lot of black humor, And one sad and angry gravedigger, Death, OCs - Freeform, Other, Suicide, Zombies, a graveyard, graves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 17:41:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17288498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrydragon26/pseuds/Cherrydragon26
Summary: This is an interview with one of the gravediggers about his opinion on the dead coming back to life and how it affects his job.





	Sad story of a gravedigger

**Author's Note:**

> All the warnings are written in the tags, so look out for them. This is not a fic for everyone so read with caution.  
> You should probably read my fics Extinct species and Sakura Trick-Zombie edition to better understand what they are talking about here. I kinda combined the universes here.

"Come on hurry up! We are late, and I don't want to lose my scoop", the young reporter reprimanded the cameraman and hurried him and her television crew to the graveyard. "Come on Su, why are you so nervous? It's not like he will run away. He is as old as the graveyard, maybe even older, so even if he can run the only place he would run to would be his grave", the cameraman named Jun teased, and people around him started to laugh, while Sumire pouted, and angrily stomped her foot on the ground. "Stop fooling around and lets go! And also don't call me Su!", she turned around and didn't wait for anyone anymore.

They all hurried along with her, until they came to the old graveyard where it was believed the first zombie has risen from death. Sumire fixed her hair, Jun rolled his eyes, and they entered the small house, where the old man lived. They found him eating his lunch, and when they entered he looked at them in confusion. "Who are you?", he asked continuing to eat, like their identities are none of his business even if he did ask them.

Sumire was fighting to keep the smile on her face, and when she spoke you could hear controlled anger in her voice:" We are the reporters who called and asked for an interview. You know about zombies and the graveyard", she said slowly, hoping he will remember. Realization hitting him the old man stopped eating and said:" Is it that time already?", looking at his hand for a wrist watch, which he didn't have, he looked up again at Sumire and nodded. "All right, you can ask away".

Sumire looked confused for a moment and said:" Right now?". The old gravedigger nodded, sighing in annoyance and eyeing everyone with suspicion:" Yes, if you don't have anything better to do of course. Or do you want me to lead you to the graveyard right now? I don't mind, it is my workplace after all, but I thought it would be more comfortable for you to sit and relax a bit in my house, is it not?". The young woman just nodded and sat on the nearest chair, while everyone else also found where to sit. The man stood up and brought them something to eat and drink, waiting patiently for them to finish, and also continuing to eat himself.

After everyone has finished, the gravedigger had led them to the graveyard, and they all choose a place to film. Sumire prepared herself, Jun opened his camera, and the interview had started. "So, mister is this the graveyard where they say the first zombie came to life?". The old man seemed in thought because of the question, and after some time he looked at Sumire and said:" I don't know if it was the first one, but I did see a corpse getting out of his grave. I was really scared and terrified, but I remembered all the things my father had taught me, so I ran outside and attacked the dead man. After I had killed him again, I returned him to where he belonged and was happy I returned the balance".

"What do you mean return the balance?".

"Well, dead people should stay dead, like my father always told me. So I returned him to his natural state, and I felt proud because of it".

"What are your feelings about zombies?"

"Well I think it is pretty obvious. I don't like them. At all".

"Why?"

"Why? Well first because of the balance as I said before. It's just not natural. And also because it is bad for my business".

"How is it bad for your business?"

"I always thought that if nothing else is constant in this world death is. Death is always profitable, my father used to tell me all the time. So when people stop to die, then what am I left with? There is no place for a undertaker if there are no dead for him to undertake you understand? So of course I wasn't happy, when I found out people can apparently rise from the dead".

"You mentioned your father a couple of times? Was he a great influence in your life?"

"Yes. He was also an undertaker and a gravedigger and he wanted me to become one. He trained me and as you see I did become what he wanted of me".

"But some people say that maybe zombies aren't that bad. They could reunite with their loved ones. Do you have anyone who died you would like to reunite with? Like your father, maybe?"

"No, of course not. Those that are dead should stay dead, if you ask me. And if I ever did want anyone to bring back from the dead it surely wouldn't be my father. I didn't like him at all. He was a pain in the ass. After he had died I could finally relax. He is better dead to me than alive".

"Your mother maybe?"

"No, I never had one. My father raised me by himself. And even if I did, I stay by my first statement".

"Okay. So then do you know why it happened?"

"No"

"It's because of the virus that was made and existed in a can of broccoli. People who ate were infected and brought back to life as zombies. "

"I see"

"Do you like broccoli mister?"

"No I never did. And even if I did, after hearing this I will never eat it for sure. Canned broccoli, pah! Who came up with that smart idea?"

"Yes, we were asking ourselves the same question a number of times, but no one is completely sure"

"Did you maybe know they now have their own cities and countries where only zombies live?".

The undertaker became pale, and he couldn't breath for a long time. The crew helped him relax and gave him some water. When he drank it, he reassured everyone he could continue the interview so they did.

"I didn't know that".

"Would you like to visit one of those cities?".

"God, no I would not. Ever".

"You mentioned you succeeded at killing a zombie. How? Shouldn't zombies be immortal?"

"I am not so sure. It was dark and I was scared, and it all happened so fast. I think when I hit his head, he fell down and didn't get up".

"Did you maybe have some squids nearby?"

The old man was silent for a moment and then he answered:"Yes, actually I had some squids in the fridge that night. But when I came back I couldn't find them anywhere".

"For some reason zombies really love squids. That is how we distracted them when they were attacking us. Of course now they don't attack us anymore, we live in peace, but they still do love squids. You probably hadn't killed him as you thought, if he had time to get into your house and steal the squids".

There was complete silence in the room after that. Sumire tried to ask more questions but the gravedigger didn't answer them. It was like he couldn't hear us anymore. Jun sighed and thought he should point out to Sumire that the interview is probably over, when the old man broke the silence with a question:" And what if that thing bit me? How am I not dead?"

Sumire looked at him in fear and took a small step back, hoping he won't notice it. "If it bit you it means you will die soon. It doesn't always have to be instantly, sometimes the death is prolonged for weeks or months. But the end result is the same". His eyes widened in shock and fear, and as soon as Sumire finished he bolted out of the room, somewhere where we couldn't see him.

All of us started to pack, and we all were already on the way home, when we heard a gunshot in the distance. None of us stopped or said anything, while we descended the hill. We just started to walk faster hoping nothing will happen until we reach the truck. Nobody looked behind them, nobody wondered what the man was doing. We all knew already, and we were too afraid to talk about it, or even think about it. So we didn't.

When we all returned to the studio, we made a circle and destroyed all the evidence we filmed, scared of the reaction the old man could have if he saw the interview on the TV. This memory soon fell into oblivion and was forgotten like it never really happened.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of months later, a boy got a message from his grandfather, begging him to come to his house and help him. The boy understanding the urgency from the letter, was soon in the transport that got him where he wanted to come. Coming to the graveyard and his grandfathers house, he knocked on the door but no one answered.

He unlocked it (because he had the key) and stepped inside. Grandfather was nowhere to be found. He was not at the house that was for sure. The only thing the boy found was a letter that was discarded on the table in the kitchen.

He picked it up and started to read it.

_Dear grandson,_

_I have somehow become a zombie. I haven't found that out until I killed myself. When I woke up, and remembered everything that happened I decided to find a cure. Fortunately they already did, so I found the nearest hospital and unzombified myself. I know that for you youngsters it isn't such a bad thing to be a zombie but for me it is. I just can't accept it! It goes against everything I stand for! So after my transformation happened I returned and killed myself again now permanently. I left some money in the drawer (you know the one) for the funeral. Make it a nice one._

_Lots of love,_

_Your grandfather_

 

The boy had stared at the letter for some time until he couldn't anymore, so he got the money and left the house. On the way home he had bought ice cream and a phone, completely forgetting for who and for what was that money meant to.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I know I am not really consistent with all this, but that is kinda the point. And if you haven't noticed already I really don't know what I am doing anyway so who gives a shit, right? I sure don't.


End file.
